Counter current pomace washer

ABSTRACT

A counter current pomace washer comprising a screen reel. Along the inside of the screen reel are disposed screen lifters which are spaced apart radially at equal angular distances and which extend in a direction parallel to the axis of the reel. A screw conveyor is located along the axis of the reel so that the screen lifters through the rotating action of the reel transfer pomace to the screw conveyor. Counter flowing liquid washes the pomace on the screen reel to recover the usable ingredients of the pomace.

United States Patent 1191 Nowlin July 31, 11973 COUNTER CURRENT POMACEWASHER [76] llnventor: Redford L. Nowlln, 4124 S.

Soderquist Rd., Turlock, Calif. 95380 [22] Filed: Jan. 8, 1971 21 Appl.016.: 105,015

[52] US. Cll..... 99/536, 23/269, 23/270,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1951" Anderson 23/27012/1951 Langen 23/270 2,392,911 1/1946 Gaudet 134/157 542,438 7/1895Butler 2,538,457 1/1951 Hudson... 1,779,046 10/ 1930 McNaney.. 438,53310/ 1890 Davis 404,141 5/1889 Wilcox 3,498,838 3/1970 Mehta 134/65Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkofi Assistant Examiner-R. T. FosterAttorney-Jack M. Wiseman [5 7] AWSTRACT A counter current pomace washercomprising a screen reel. Along the inside of the screen reel aredisposed screen lifters which are spaced apart radially at equal angulardistances and which extend in a direction parallel to the axis of thereel. A screw conveyor is located along the axis of the reel so that thescreen lifters through the rotating action of the reel transfer pomaceto the screw conveyor. Counter flowing liquid washes the pomace on thescreen reel to recover the usable ingredients of the pomace.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing ri /11m 2,923,604 2/1960 Fawley et 51.... 23 2692,998,307 8/1961 Walker 23 269 3,117,031 1 1964 0111111115 23 2703,135,668 6 1964 Wesson 23/269 3,433,598 3/1969 Andersen et al.... 23270 3,632,445 1/1972 .Barre 23 270 2,734,635 2/1956 HOlZefllhfll 23 269se 5 5 e '1 1 PATENIEU JUL 3 1 191a SHEET 1 0F 7 INVENTOR. RADFORD L.NOWLIN W. I

ATTORNEY PATENIEUJM 1 ms sum 2 or 3 INVENTOR. RADFORD L, NQWUN ATTORNEYPAIENIEDJUU I ma SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR. RADFORD L. NOWLIN 41 MM ATTORNEYBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general toapparatus for recovering wines and juices from the skins and seeds ofgrapes, and more particularly to apparatus for recovering alcohol orsugar from pressed pomace.

In the production of wine and juices, waste material resulting therefromis known as pomace, which constitutes the skins and the seeds of grapes.The pomace is pressed to recover therefrom all the usable wine andjuices as a full strength product. The pomace remaining after pressingmay be discarded or may be used to recover the remaining sugar andalcohol.

To recover the sugar and alcohol remaining after the pressing, it hasbeen the practice to wash the pomace in tanks and subsequently press thepomace. The wash mixture ferments and has been distilled for producing ahigh proof alcohol. In some instances, the pomace is removed and washedduring multiple cycle processes to recover the remaining usable alcoholand sugar. All the sugar is converted into alcohol, when the pomace isfermented dry. The pomace can then be run through a steam chamber andthe alcohol recovered as a low wine distillate. It has been found thatthe foregoing methods are too expensive and inefficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A pomace washer comprising a screen reel withscreen lifters disposed along the inside of the screen reel parallel tothe axis thereof and spaced radially therealong at angular distances. Aconveyor is located along the axis of the reel, whereby rotation of thereel causes the screen lifters to transfer pomace onto the conveyor.

A method of washing pomace in which a counter current flow of liquidwash advances through a screen reel with a conveyor along its axisthereof.

A method of washing pomace in which a counter current flow of liquidwash advances through a screen reel with a conveyor along the axisthereof and with plural ity of screen lifters secured to the inside ofthe reel for transferring pomace onto the conveyor.

A pomace washer in which a screen reel is submerged in liquid wash andwherein the solid components of the pomace are maintained within thereel while the liquid wash from an external source flows through thescreen reel.

A plurality of stages in which each stage includes a screen reelsubmerged in a liquid wash and the solid components of the pomace areleft within the reel while liquid wash from an external source flowsthrough the screen reel.

By virtue of the present invention, a high recovery efficiency isobtained with reduced usage of wash liquid. By increasing the recoveryefficiency, the yield of sugar and alcohol is improved. By reducing theusage of wash liquid, a stronger solution is produced. The stronger thesolution, the less costly is the further operations, because the washliquid resulting from the process must be further acted upon bydistillation or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of pomacewasher apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a pomace washing system embodying thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pomace washing system shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. d is an enlarged vertical section taken along line d-d of FIG. 33.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3partially in elevation to illustrate the screw conveyor thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Illustrated in FIG. I is apomace washing apparatus llti embodying the present invention. In theexemplary embodiment of the present invention, three of such pomacewashing apparatus W-lllb (FIGS. 2 and 3) are included in the pomacewashing system of the present invention. Each pomace washing apparatusis similar in structure and operation and, hence, only the pomacewashing apparatus It) will be described in detail.

The pomace washing apparatus 10 comprises a suitable support frame 11(FIGS. 1-5) in which is supported a generally tubular housing 12. In theexemplary embodiment, the housing l2 includes four sections IZa-llZd(FIGS. ll, 3 and 5). Within each section Illa-112d is a pomace washer,such as pomace washer 1l5a (FIGS. 4% and 5), embodying the presentinvention. Each pomace washer 1511-1511 in the sections l2a-ll2d,respectively, operates in a similar manner. Hence, only the pomacewasher 15a in the section 112a will be described in detail.

Initially, an operator places a supply of pomace, which may have beenpreviously pressed to recover wine and juice, onto a conventional screwconveyor 20 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). Pomace is discharged from the screwconveyor 20 into a pomace receiving receptacle 211 for advancement intothe interior of the housing 12. In a manner to be described hereinafter,pomace advances through the housing 12 in the direction of the arrow 1P(FIG. 3) and is discharged from the housing 12 through a pomace outlet23. The pomace discharged from the outlet 23 is discharged onto aconventional screw conveyor 24 for discharge into the pomace washingapparatus we. From the pomace washing apparatus Ilia, pomace is advancedby a conventional screw conveyor 25, for discharge into the pomacewashing apparatus Mb. lPomace discharged from the pomace washingapparatus 1011 is advanced by a conventional screw conveyor 26 into awell-known press machine 2'7. The dry pomace discharged from the pressmachine 27' is advanced by a conveyor 28 to be discarded as wastematerial.

During the time the pomace P advances from the conveyor 201i and throughthe pomace washing apparatus ItI-lltlb, in succession, wash liquid, suchas water, is supplied to the pomace washing apparatus lltlb through aconduit 3th. A mixture of wash liquid, juice and wine (hereinafterreferred to as mixture") advances in the direction of the arrows W (FIG.3) in succession through the pomace washing apparatus 1%, Eda and IE.The mixture advances through the pomace washing apparatus Hub-W, whilepomace advances through the pomace washing apparatus 10-1012. Thepassage of the mixture through the housing 12 of the pomace washingapparatus will be described in detail hereinafter.

The housing 12 includes an inlet conduit 32 through which passes themixture discharged from the pomace washing apparatus 100. In addition,the housing 12 includes a discharge outlet from which is discharged thefinal mixture for the recovery of sugar and alcohol. Juice and winerecovered from the pressing of pomace from the pressing machine 27 isdischarged into the pomace washing apparatus b. The mixture dischargedfrom the conduit 33 is processed in a conventional manner for producingtherefrom sugar and alcohol.

Disposed within the housing 12 along the axis thereof is a conventionalscrew conveyor 40 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which comprises a drive shaft 41. Thedrive shaft is journalled by suitable bushing carried by the end wallsof the housing 12. Connected to the drive shaft 41 is a conventionalvaridrive motor 42, which imparts rotation to the shaft 41. Fixed to theshaft 41 for rotation therewith are a plurality of well-known screw-likeimpeller blades 43.

A suitable trough 44 of the screw conveyor 40 is disposed below andalong the sides of the screw impeller blades 43 to gather pomace so thatthe screw impeller blades 43 can advance the pomace in the trough 44 inthe direction of the arrow P. The trough is open at the top thereof andthe screw impeller blades 43 are suitably exposed from above so thatpomace can be cast into the trough 44 to be advanced by the blades 43.Suitably spaced small openings 45 are formed in the bottom wall of thetrough 44 so that the pomace in the trough 44 can be exposed andre-exposed to the mixture. An apron 46 serves to guide the pomace intothe trough 44.

Disposed within the housing 12 and surrounding the screw conveyor 40 isa screen reel 50 (FIGS. 4 and 5), which includes an increased diameterwall 50 and a reduced diameter wall 52. The reduced diameter wall 52 isdisposed between successive sections of the housing 12 and at each endof the housing 12. In this manner, the end walls of the housing 12 formsupports from which the screen reel 50 is journalled for rotation. Forimparting rotation to the screen reel 50, a suitable motor 51 is carriedby the frame 11. A drive shaft 52 is driven by the motor 51 through asuitable sheave and belt arrangement. Fixed to the shaft 52 for rotationtherewith are pulleys 53 and S4. Trained around the pulleys 53 and 54and the reel 50 are suitable endless chains 58 and 59 to impart rotationto the reel 50. A support 65 is mounted on the frame 11 below a reduceddiameter portion of the reel 50. Brackets 67 with idler rollers 66thereon engage the reel 50 for supporting the same. The reel 50 and thescrew conveyor 40, in the preferred embodiments, rotate in oppositedirections.

On the inside wall of the reel 50 along each enlarged diameter portion50' thereof are lifters 75. The lifters 75 are spaced equal angulardistances apart and extend in a direction parallel to the axis of thereel 50. The lifters 75 are made from a screen material, similar to thereel 50, and serve to transfer solid material pomace out of the mixtureor liquid wash and east the pomace onto the screw conveyor 40 adjacentthereto. The lifters 75 are suitably bent to assist in the lifting andcasting action. More specifically, the rotation of the reel 50 causesthe lifters to lift pomace submerged in the wash liquid or mixture andcast the same onto the conveyor 40 adjacent thereto, whereby the pomaceis drained with each lifting action to pennit exposure and re-exposureto the advancing mixture. It is intended that the wash liquid andmixture will flow in the direction of the arrow W until it reaches theoutlet conduit 33 at which time it can be pumped to a storage vessel forfurther processing. Wash liquid or mixture enters into the housing andflows through the screen reel 50 from a direction externally of the wall51. The screen reel 51 is submerged in the wash liquid or mixture andthe level thereof will at all times be slightly lower than the conveyor40. The pomace on the other hand enters the housing so as to be alwayscontained within the screen reel 50. It is to be observed that thepomace advances in one direction while the mixture or wash liquid flowsin an opposite direction in a counter current manner.

I claim:

1. Washing apparatus comprising:

a. a housing containing a liquid with material to be washed therein;

b. a screen reel mounted in said housing for rotation and disposed insaid liquid;

c. means connected to said screen reel for rotating said screen reelwithin said housing;

d. conveyor means disposed in said housing along the axis of said reelfor advancing material therealong and centrally of the reel; and

e. lifters formed with openings therein carried by an inner wall of saidreel for rotation therewith for transferring material in said liquidonto said conveyor.

2. Washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lifters are ofscreen-like material.

3. Washing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said lifters arespaced apart radially and extend in a direction parallel to the axis ofsaid reel.

4. Washing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said conveyor is ascrew conveyor.

5. Washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said material is apomace and said liquid is a liquid wash and comprising an inlet for saidpomace at one side of said housing, an outlet for said pomace at theother side of said housing, and an outlet for liquid at said one side ofsaid housing, whereby said pomace and liquid advance through saidhousing in the axial direction from opposite directions.

6. Washing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said material is apomace and said liquid is a liquid wash and comprising an inlet for saidpomace at one side of said housing, an outlet for said pomace at theother side of said housing, an inlet for liquid at said other side ofsaid housing, and an outlet for liquid at said one side of said housing,whereby said pomace and liquid advance through said housing in the axialdirection from opposite directions.

7. Washing apparatus comprising:

a. a housing containing a liquid with material to be washed therein;

b. a screen reel mounted in said housing for rotation and disposed insaid liquid;

c. means connected to said screen reel for rotating said screen reelwithin said housing;

d. conveyor means disposed in said housing along the axis of said reelfor advancing material therealong and centrally of the reel; and

e. lifters carried by an inner wall of said reel for rotation therewithto transfer material in said liquid onto said conveyor.

1. Washing apparatus comprising: a. a housing containing a liquid withmaterial to be washed therein; b. a screen reel mounted in said housingfor rotation and disposed in said liquid; c. means connected to saidscreen reel for rotating said screen reel within said housing; d.conveyor means disposed in said housing along the axis of said reel foradvancing material therealong and centrally of the reel; and e. liftersformed with openings therein carried by an inner wall of said reel forrotation therewith for transferring material in said liquid onto saidconveyor.
 2. Washing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidlifters are of screen-like material.
 3. Washing apparatus as claimed inclaim 2 wherein said lifters are spaced apart radially and extend in adirection parallel to the axis of said reel.
 4. Washing apparatus asclaimed in claim 3 wherein said conveyor is a screw conveyor.
 5. Washingapparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said material is a pomace andsaid liquid is a liquid wash and comprising an inlet for said pomace atone side of said housing, an outlet for said pomace at the other side ofsaid housing, and an outlet for liquid at said one side of said housing,whereby said pomace and liquid advance through said housing in the axialdirection from opposite directions.
 6. Washing apparatus as claimed inclaim 4 wherein said material is a pomace and said liquid is a liquidwash and comprising an inlet for said pomace at one side of saidhousing, an outlet for said pomace at the other side of said housing, aninlet for liquid at said other side of said housing, and an outlet forliquid at said one side of said housing, whereby said pomace and liquidadvance through said housing in the axial direction from oppositedirections.
 7. Washing apparatus comprising: a. a housing containing aliquid with material to be washed therein; b. a screen reel mounted insaid housing for rotation and disposed in said liquid; c. meansconnected to said screen reel for rotating said screen reel within saidhousing; d. conveyor means disposed in said housing along the axis ofsaid reel for advancing material therealong and centrally of the reel;and e. lifters carried by an inner wall of said reel for rotationtherewith to transfer material in said liquid onto said conveyor.